Kiss
by katdvs
Summary: Maxie Jones and Johnny Zacchara are an interesting pair when they run into each other in the middle of the night.
1. Chapter 1

-Kiss me at Midnight-

The snow was falling as Maxie Jones watched it. Thinking about the last night it has snowed in the upstate city, how she'd been talking with her boyfriend about the silence and how it would wake her sister up in the middle of the night. But it couldn't do that now, not anymore, Georgie was gone and now Maxie was alone. Sure she had Mac and Robin, and even Coop but it wasn't the same without Georgie.

Even though she knew it was wrong, and stupid to be out alone Maxie was sitting in the cold, in the snow, watching the flakes disappear in the water as she sat on the bench. The air that weird warmth that comes with snow, where you can stand to be outside but before it started you wouldn't think of it.

"You shouldn't be out here alone." His voice was filled with concern, and _that_ surprised her.

Maxie didn't even turn to look at him, "My own home wasn't safe enough. The park isn't safe, the ball wasn't safe. _Nothing_ is safe."

"I only met her a few times but you're sister, she had a spark, she was unforgettable." Johnny Zacchara sat next to the blond, wondering if she was always so mouthy and if it was some sort of defense mechanism, the sort of thing he knew well.

"When she wanted something, she went after it and she never had to come up with crazy schemes to do it." Maxie stood up and took a few steps forward, outstretching her arms, breathing in the air, the snow, the thought of a new year dawning and she was all alone. "I miss you Georgie!" She shouted.

Johnny watched her, intrigued, worried and realizing that all this woman really needed was a friend because the only one she'd had in the world was gone.

She turned to him, catching that smirk he had on his face. As though he was enjoying her performance. "Do I entertain you?"

"Intrigue is a better word." He rose, taking a few steps towards her, looking down into her sad eyes, "Why aren't you with your boyfriend the cadet tonight?"

She shrugged, "He's working. Why aren't you chasing after Lulu?"

"Well two reasons, Logan and she's in too much danger around me."

Maxie snorted, "The crazy thing is, I'm probably safer with you right now then with Coop."

"Why is that?"

"He wasn't a good guy when we met. Neither was Logan. But something, with Georgie gone has me questioning the ones who look good compared to the ones who appear bad. Like Spinelli works for Jason but he's the sweetest guy in the world, especially if he cares about you. He's torn apart of Georgie, too bad its too late for them."

Johnny nodded, "So if the good guy's put you in danger, what do the dangerous guys do for you?"

"No idea, they all turn good on me when I think they're on the other side."

He reached down and pushed some of her blond hair away from her eyes, "Sometimes I wonder if their really are sides. Or if its more like this spiral that pulls us in before we really know it, before we realize its over. Then one morning we wake up in this life and have no idea what choice or decision we made to get to it."

Maxie reached up, covering his hand with hers, "We never really know what will happen, when, or even how it will end. Georgie was the healthy one out of all three of us, and she's the one that's gone."

Johnny pulled away, feeling his blood rushing through his veins, his heart beating, how was Maxie Jones doing this to him? "I can tell you one thing, I never thought I'd be spending any part of New Years Eve here with you."

Maxie took a step towards the water, and closer to Johnny, "It wasn't really what I was thinking my night would be like either."

He looked down into her eyes, realizing that the sadness she carried went beyond just her sisters death. More made this spunky, snarky woman who she was and he found himself wishing he knew what it was. "What's the one thing you want to happen in the new year?"

She turned away from him, the way his eyes watching her brought a weird comfort, the sort of thing she didn't expect or anticipate from a man like Johnny. She crossed her arms over his chest, "I want to find a way to make Georgie's memory live on forever. Find some way to keep all the good she was doing, going on. What about you?"

He couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind, "Honestly, I want to figure out how to end the violence between me and Sonny and then, I think if I can get that done, I want to do something real, something important. Bring some good to the world and to myself."

Maxie turned to him, just as fireworks began to fly over their heads.

Johnny took a step forward, "Happy New Year Maxie." He reached out and touched her face.

She stood up on her tiptoes and felt her lips press against his. If she hadn't seen the fireworks before she would've thought they were there just for them.

Johnny pulled away, looking into her eyes once more.

"Happy New Year Johnny." Maxie gave him a soft smile before she walked away. Sure that she and Johnny wouldn't really interact again ever in their lives, but that moment, this night was something they would share for however long either of them had left.

Johnny turned to the fireworks, wondering if he could stay true to his resolution of sorts, wondering if he did, if perhaps it would bring him and Maxie back into each others orbits


	2. Chapter 2

-Kissed by a Rose-

The night was cold, a stale cold and it was making Johnny irritable, and that wasn't what he wanted to be tonight. He was searching the docks for _her_, and in all honesty he wasn't sure why he was seeking her out and not Lulu. Though he knew Lulu was with Logan, trying to give him a chance when her heart just wasn't really in it. And now, as Johnny looked around at the drab February scene he realized it fit perfectly for tonight, his lonely Valentines night.

"Just leave me alone Lucky!" he heard her, obviously yelling at Lulu's brother. He peered around the corner watching the scene, sensing the odd comfort and tension that flowed between the two.

"Maxie, you shouldn't be alone right now." He reminded her, knowing she was still in pain over loosing Georgie, and everyone starting to accuse Cooper of being the killer wasn't doing her much good either.

She shook her head, her hair hitting her face as the wind from the water made it harsher. "What makes right now any different then any other time Lucky? I'm already alone, my parents left me, Jesse and Georgie were murdered, and now everyone thinks it was Coop." She looked away, in the corner of her eye she saw Johnny, "Everyone I love, leaves, everyone I grow close too or attached too leaves or at the very least ends up hating me."

Lucky felt the urge to reach out to her, but held back, "Maxie, when your ready to talk, please just call me."

"Don't be waiting for it." Maxie walked towards the steps and up towards Johnny, "Enjoying the show?"

"Not the ideal Valentines Day, is it?" Was all he asked.

Maxie rolled her eyes, "Is this my newest curse, you on the romantic holidays?"

"It could be worse." He walked in a circle around her.

"Oh yeah, how?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

Johnny smiled, "You could be stuck watching Logan and Lulu together."

Maxie automatically made a gagging sound at the idea, "Okay that could be worse. Is that why you're out here, wandering the docks?"

"Actually," Johnny moved towards the steps, "I was looking for you."

Maxie watched as he started down them and then went after him, "You were looking for me?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I figured New Years Eve sucked, so Valentines might as well and I was right."

"So what is it you want from me?"

He looked down into her eyes, they were still sad and hurt, but it was different this time. This time it was more like a puzzle, each piece a different loss, a different fear coming true. "I was hoping that I would look into your eyes and some of the sadness would be gone. Only, this time, its worse. I didn't think that was possible."

Maxie was frozen, she didn't know what to say or how to say it. "Things went from bad to worse."

"I heard you and Spencer arguing."

She shrugged, "That's what we do best these days."

"History, no matter how big or little it is, or how meaningless or random it may seem in that moment always has a bigger piece of making us who we are then we realize." He unzipped his jacket and removed the cellophane wrapped plastic rose he'd found at the gas station earlier that day. "I thought you could use a pick me up. Its fake so it'll last forever, no sadness of watching it fade away."

Maxie reached out, he had been thinking of her. This wasn't right this was just outright weird. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He looked out at the water, "Hopefully we get some fresh snow soon, I think we could all use the idea of a fresh, clean world."

Maxie gave him a small smile before stretching up on her tip toes and kissed him softly on the lips.

Johnny held onto her as soon as she was close, afraid she would fall or break in her fragile frame. His heart skipped a beat when her lips met his, and he felt his blood start to boil.

She pulled away, feeling breathless, knowing she had to get away before whatever this was clouded her mind, "I should get home."

He nodded, "Hold on to hope Maxie."

"You too Johnny." She started up the stairs, wondering when she would have another run in like this with him and if perhaps that's what she should hope for.

Johnny started the other way, feeling as though perhaps he was making his new years resolution come true in a way he hadn't even thought of.


	3. Chapter 3

-Kiss the Rain-

The air was fresh, the kind that comes just before the first rain shower of April. Seasons were changing, she was changing, but really who could blame her? In the past few months her world got flipped upside down, more then once. Her sister murdered, her boyfriend the suspect and himself a victim, her mother having returned; and even more astonishing her father returned. With everything Maxie Jones at times felt as though she was being sucked into a black hole.

Tonight was no different as she sought out the peace by walking the docks. Peace was really code for Johnny Zacchara. She would see him across a room; in the diner or hospital, and every time her mind flashed with the memory of his lips on hers. First when the new year rolled in and then on Valentines.

It wasn't that she wanted to kiss him tonight. She wanted instead to see if he still had that hope. It rang true; not only in his voice, but his eyes, his touch—the way he smiled.

"Why do we always run into each other here, at night?"

Maxie turned, her eyes locking with his, "You mean you didn't know? Why this is our place. Any where else in town we're--."

"Barely acquaintances. But here, we're the best of friends." He smiled noting that her eyes were not clouded with sadness.

She took a step closer, "Do you kiss all your best friends, or just me?"

"You're the only best friend I've ever had, maybe I'm doing it wrong?"

"Kissing? You're doing fine." She smiled.

A sly grin crossed his face, "Good to know."

She could smell his cologne, a classic scent, not weak, not strong; just perfect. "I had a feeling you would say that."

Johnny watched her eyes study him as he reached up, pushing her blond locks from her face.

Maxie could feel it, this was different, a storm was brewing.

The rain began suddenly, Johnny picked her up—carrying her to the first spot he could find to keep them; mainly her from getting soaked.

Maxie felt her back pressed against the brick wall as Johnny covered her with his body.

"I think it'll be a quick storm." He looked down, realizing how fragile she looked, "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

So many answers flew through her mind, "I don't think you could."

A chill ran down his spin as his whole being responded to being this close to her. He knew that he shouldn't be feeling this for Maxie Jones but he couldn't deny it. Each day he saw her, he was drawn to her, wanting her, needing her.

"Johnny." She purred in his ear as she held him closer. The warmth of his body keeping the chill from hers.

He pulled away, just long enough to reposition himself before kissing her.

She pulled his body closer, as close as they could be dressed. Yet she didn't want to rush. She wanted this to last forever, to never end.

This was what Johnny had yearned for. The kind of thing that stirred every part of his being. He didn't want to stop kissing her, but he was desperate to see what her eyes were saying.

Back and fourth she searched as her hands rested on his chest, his rock hard chest. "One night at time will come, when we can't stop."

He kissed her forehead, "When more happens, I don't want it to be against a brick wall like some lewd, drunken mistake."

She slithered from his grip as the rain stopped. Taking his hand, intertwining his fingers with hers, memorizing the moment.

He didn't want her to leave, "Maxie."

"The suspense will make it better." She released his hand, pulling away.

Johnny leaned against the brick wall again, no knowing he wouldn't be able to resister her again.


End file.
